China mullls zero-tariff expansion in Africa

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-01-25 16:37

BEIJING -- On the basis of levying zero tariff on products of 31 African countries, China is considering to include more African goods into the zero-tariff treatment, said Minister of Commerce Chen Deming.

A woman walks past containers at a port in Shanghai January 13, 2009. On the basis of levying zero tariff on products of 31 African countries, China is considering to include more African goods into the zero-tariff treatment, said Minister of Commerce Chen Deming. [Agencies]

After visiting Kenya, Zambia and Angora in mid-January, Chen said quite a number of African countries had a certain amount of deficit in trade with China, and China will expand import from Africa accordingly.

"On the basis of offering zero tariff for the goods from 31 least developed African countries, we will actively consider to further expand the beneficiary scope of African products, and encourage enterprises to favor African goods under the same conditions," he said.

He also said that China will make efforts to optimize the product structure of goods exported to Africa, and strictly control product quality.

Over the past few years, China has offered zero tariff to more than 10 types of goods imported from 31 African countries, including farm products, stone materials, ores, leather, textiles and garments, machinery and electronic products, and wooden furniture.

By the end of October 2008, China had imported zero-tariff goods valued at US$680 million from Africa.